1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a velocipede toy for use by children. This particular velocipede resembles the shape of a horse or pony and is of a tricycle form.
The primary object of this invention is to provide a novel, sturdy pony-figured tricycle which has a head and front legs which operate as part of the steering mechanism turning independently from the body.
A further object of this invention is to provide a children's pony-figured tricycle which utilizes a unique illuminating mechanism underlying the pony's transparent eye coverings. This unique "glowing eyes" feature will cause the invention to be of greater fascination to the child and will increase nightime safety by making the invention more visible to third parties operating automobiles, bicycles, and other potentially harmful vehicles from the child's standpoint.
A further object of this invention is to provide a convenient and dependable mechanism for attaching the front legs and head sections of the velocipede to the body.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous pony-shaped velocipedes are known in the art. Many of them describe velocipedes having flat two-dimensional bodies including 2,527,684 to Moroney, 151,333 to Dobson and 167,780 to Sterancsak. Others are nothing more than horse-shaped bodies placed over preexisting tricycles such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,796,265 to Fields et al., and 2,815,219 to Martinez, and 4,746,132 to Eagan.
Other childrens pony-shaped vehicles have been designed which simulate the galloping action of horses, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,999,771 to Lohr, and 4,497,500 to Mercurio. Other velocipedes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,270,169 to Kester, 2,006,349 to Fowler, and 2,591,804 to Gonda.
None of the inventions disclosed in any of these patent include the novel "glowing eyes" feature of the present invention, nor do they provide the simple and reliable method of connecting the front legs and head to the body member of the animal figure itself.